Just back from two weeks in AK
Just got back from our two week vaca in Alaska. We flew, so no RV but wanted to advise on a few things. The weather is still hot and dry. Palmer was experiencing records temps two days ago. Rain...
Forum Discussion
"How can you call it Slo-dotna, when it's got beer and fishing?"
Well, in all honesty, the name was earned (appropriately IMNSHO) about 20 - 30 years ago when Kenai was the booming energy hub of Southern Cook Inlet and Soldotna was largely known as the place where you went straight to get to Homer or turned right to get to Kenai. Soldotna's claim to fame then was the small town life....i.e. "Slo-dotna".
Soldotna had the advantage in the 80's and 90's of being a bit less crowded than Kenai during tourist season, although that was all relative. In recent years, Soldotna has become (again just IMNSHO) the more attractive place than Kenai but that could be changing as Kenai is undergoing a bit of a resurgence.
I work pretty hard to avoid the combat fishing experience, but I'd estimate that (absent fires) the Cooper Landing area is #1, followed by the Soldotna area, followed by Kenai, although the recent dipnet madding throngs bid fair to vault Kenai to the #1 combat fishing spot.
Soldotna's other claim to fame (going back 20-odd years, maybe more) was that Hobo Jim played there more often than Kenai. Soldotna was also the venue for a fairly significant (for Alaska) karate tournament for several years...
Having been a visitor to the Kenai Peninsula since the mid-70's, I can't give up the nickname of Slo-dotna (or Squarebanks or the Meth-Su or....).
Well, in all honesty, the name was earned (appropriately IMNSHO) about 20 - 30 years ago when Kenai was the booming energy hub of Southern Cook Inlet and Soldotna was largely known as the place where you went straight to get to Homer or turned right to get to Kenai. Soldotna's claim to fame then was the small town life....i.e. "Slo-dotna".
Soldotna had the advantage in the 80's and 90's of being a bit less crowded than Kenai during tourist season, although that was all relative. In recent years, Soldotna has become (again just IMNSHO) the more attractive place than Kenai but that could be changing as Kenai is undergoing a bit of a resurgence.
I work pretty hard to avoid the combat fishing experience, but I'd estimate that (absent fires) the Cooper Landing area is #1, followed by the Soldotna area, followed by Kenai, although the recent dipnet madding throngs bid fair to vault Kenai to the #1 combat fishing spot.
Soldotna's other claim to fame (going back 20-odd years, maybe more) was that Hobo Jim played there more often than Kenai. Soldotna was also the venue for a fairly significant (for Alaska) karate tournament for several years...
Having been a visitor to the Kenai Peninsula since the mid-70's, I can't give up the nickname of Slo-dotna (or Squarebanks or the Meth-Su or....).
